Toilet Brush
Lifespan…6 months – 1 year.
A toilet brush’s life is short and not very glamorous but is a clean bathroom’s best friend. You should regularly clean your toilet brush with bleach but even so, the lifespan of this hardworking accessory is only six months to a year depending on the size of the household and often you clean it.
Kitchen Sponge
Lifespan…2 weeks – 1 month
Kitchen sponges are definitely not made to last and they can quickly become the home for an entire ecosystem of bacteria; a study in Germany discovered 362 different kinds of bacteria in one sponge. Always rinse your sponges in hot water after use and air dry or pop them in the dishwasher if you have one. Even so, once they start to tear, look ragged or smell then it’s time to replace them. In a busy home kitchen even two weeks might be stretching it and constantly cleaning a sponge can actually encourage bacteria. Some swear by microwaving sponges to disinfect them but scientists say this generally doesn’t work.
Toothbrush
Lifespan…3 months
When you think what your toothbrush does it makes sense that you need to change them every few months at least. Anything that’s used to clean something will generally come away contaminated and toothbrushes are no exception. You can count on your beloved toothbrush becoming a home for bacteria as well as being less effective once the bristles start to fray. If you’re recovering from any kind of cold, throat infection or other illness change to a new toothbrush immediately.
Mattress
Lifespan…8 years.
We spend a lot of time on our mattress and the truth is they’re not designed to last forever. An old mattress can cause back pain and other problems that will affect sleep patterns. Research shows that the average age of a mattress is around eight years but there are variables that can affect this such as the type of mattress and the number of people sleeping on it. The warning signs that you’ll need to swap out your mattress can range from sagging or flattening to an increase in allergies due to a build-up of dust mites and other nasties.
